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Whether it’s a new issue or an existing condition you’re managing, what are you experiencing?

What makes it better? What makes it worse?

This is about listening to your body, listening to your feelings and your instinct. Bear in mind that psychological/emotional issues, such as stress, can cause or exacerbate physical symptoms and vice verse.

If there’s something you’re currently concerned about, try to identify exactly what your concern is and what your immediate needs are, if any, regarding that concern. For example:

‘I have a pain in my knee - I know what’s causing it but need the pain controlled’

is different from

‘I have a pain in my knee - I need to know whether it’s something I should be taking seriously and doing something about’

and is different again from

‘I have a pain in my knee - I have medications to control it but don’t like taking them and would like to know if there’s any alternative’.

Apart from seeking medical advice (see lower down this page), you can find out more by looking up relevant information yourself, either online or through other sources of information; or there may be people with some sort of specialist knowledge you can access, such as a pharmacist for medication issues, or even some amongst your friends or family who may have knowledge or experience they can share.

Some of the options may be medical and some may be more straightforward things you can do yourself. Even chronic pain can often be improved a great deal through making relatively minor changes in daily life. Sometimes quite simple remedies or actions can help, without having to resort to medications. Where these work, they side-step the issue of possible side effects from medication.

Once you consult a doctor, you are probably looking for medical solutions. Sometimes these can fix a problem - or help to fix it - but they can’t always. Even if they help, they can be even more effective when teamed with self-management strategies.

ACCESSING INFORMATIONNHS CHOICES has a wealth of information on hundreds of health conditions and links to further specialised websites so is a good place to start.

ACCESSING INFORMATIONGET HEALTH INFORMATION on this website has a variety on hand-chosen links to national and local services for specific health issues

ACCESSING INFORMATION SEARCH ENGINES such as Google or Bing to ask any question or search a condition to find other relevant information online

ACCESSING INFORMATION ONLINE COMMUNITIES can be a good source of information and ideas for what has worked (and not worked) for others as well as a source of support

Pharmacists - can help with treatments for a variety of minor ailments and also advise whether you should see a doctor (see What your pharmacist can do for you). You can just call in to any pharmacy and ask to speak to the pharmacist without having to make an appointment.

GP Practices - General practitioners (GPs) treat all common medical conditions and refer patients to hospitals and other medical services for urgent and specialist treatment. They focus on the health of the whole person combining physical, psychological and social aspects of care.

Minor Injuries units - where available, minor injuries units can deal with minor injuries such as sprains and strains, broken bones, wound infections, minor burns and scalds, minor head injuries, insect and animal bits, minor eye injurie and injuries to the back, shoulder and chest. Some minor injuries units don't have the facilities to treat young children so it's worth checking in advance of turning up.

Emergency help - While it’s important not to use emergency services whenever you can avoid it, it’s also very important that you do know when to seek emergency treatment. NHS Choices provides some guidance here.

If you’re still not sure, try to make best use of any available advice and information you can access, including from friends and family or 111 or online - or Walk-in GP surgeries where available (see Emergency and Out of Hours on this website) and listen to your instinct in trying to make the best decision you can in the situation. Are you worrying unnecessarily and can afford to watch and wait or is this a situation that you feel needs urgent attention to avoid serious consequences?

Before you see your GP or other healthcare professional, do you know what sort of help you’re looking for? Is it a diagnosis; treatment; reassurance; problems with existing treatments; alternative treatments; referral to other health services; or monitoring; or something else?

It can help to be clear about what you’d like to come out of the consultation with so that you can be clear what you’re asking for and clear, afterwards, whether you got what you felt you needed – or, if not, whether you’re happy with the result nonetheless.

WRITE DOWN what you want to get out of the appointment with your GP or other health care professional on your next visit and whether you have any specific questions as it can be easy to forget something in a short consultation. Write down or take with you any medications you're currently on.

BE AS HONEST AND OPEN as you can.

GPs have experience and are trained to deal with intimate subjects. They will understand any discomfort you may feel and you should find them supportive. It may help to introduce the subject by saying “I might find this difficult to talk about” as this will enable your GP to help you to share the problem.

Also it’s important to share all information with your GP to help them in their diagnosis and to identify the right treatment for you.

Tell your doctor if you’re finding it difficult in any way to follow the treatment plan that’s been agreed.

ASK QUESTIONS Your GPs, nurses, consultants and other health professionals are there to help and guide you to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. Many people feel they can’t question their doctor. However, doctors may have some of the answers but don’t have all the answers – especially around what works best for you as an individual. GPs know this and It’s only by asking them questions and working together with them that you can both achieve the best results for you. You can also ask them to repeat or clarify anything they have said if you haven't properly heard or understood or ask them to write it down for you.

CHECK YOUR OPTIONS about how to best manage, as well as ‘treat’, your health condition – ie what else might help to produce the best outcomes. While sometimes there's little alternative to medical or surgical treatment, your GP can also advise whether it's an option to watch and wait or whether there are other options you can try before or instead of medical or surgical interventions. Some GPs may be very focused on medical treatment, so you may need to ask about other options; other GPs may suggest other things that can help or other options as a matter of course.

CHECK NEXT STEPS Make sure you're clear what happens next before you leave the appointment - what you can expect from your health team and what your health team may be expecting from you.

SECOND OPINION If you’re really not sure about the advice you've been given, sometimes it can help to ask for a second opinion. It may help to ask the receptionist (or other people who may know) if there's a GP who specialises in your particular health concern as many GPs have a particular area of interest. If it’s a hospital consultant, ask your GP if you could get a second opinion (your GP will also be able to talk to you about your questions or concerns arising from the original consultation).

There are a number of additional services available through your local NHS, apart from clinical care, such as:

Additional clinical support options (as highlighted in ‘Manage your health’ on this website) such as the Diabetes Service.

Transport to medical appointments

Personal Health Budgets (where available locally, these are a way of giving people with long term health conditions and disabilities more choice and control over the money spent on meeting their health and wellbeing services)

Ways of getting involved and having a voice in the shaping of local services.

Watch out for the Ageing Well in Torbay Fesitival - Saturday 20th October 2018, 10-6 @ Paignton Community & Sports Academy. Includes 1970's rock band and activities - and it's FREE!! Click here for more info

Posted at 15:33 on 26/09/2018

We are pleased to let you know that we are working closely with the Old Farm Surgery just down the road. For example, we have the same Practice Manager, Colin Whitford, and we are sharing a Paramedic (Ryan) who is helping with visits, as well as sharing some GP and Nurse resources and administrative support.

The NHS is constantly changing, and part of this are significant financial cuts, so we are doing this in order to ensure the long term sustainability of General Practice in this area.